Summary:Alec Fenton, an Americanized-European commodities trader, is living happily in Athens with Marjorie, his wife, an American of Greek origin who works at the American Embassy. Alec believes in signs and premonitions which leads him to a torrid affair with Katherine, his beautiful co-worker. His obsessive pursuit of portents results in the slow, torturous unraveling of his seemingly orderly world.